NGO sharpens students’ skills in various trades
A non-governmental organisation, Child of Destiny, has equipped some vulnerable students from age 13 upward with various vocational skills such as soap making, shoe making, tailoring, popcorn, photography among others.
According to the founder, Mrs. Olufunke Fayemi, the NGO was established two years ago when she along with one of her friends, Mrs. Mopelola Adedigba, observed a societal situation in which many youths hardly bag their first degree before going into marriage.
She said such occurrences result in societal decay thus the desire to help the society especially by reaching out to the youths and impacting their lives.
“Although the idea came to us some years ago but we did not know how to go by it until I traveled to the United States and observed the way the government over there is handling the issue of youth, that vision came to me again that if I come back to Nigeria I can help the youth who will in turn develop the society”, she said.
She said the NGO started with about three children in her sitting room but the number has increased to 70.
“We also teach them to have the fear of God in whatsoever they want to achieve in life. We want them to be self-reliant even after graduating from higher institutions. They have formed marketing units where they sell some of the things they make on their own which they learn from Child of Destiny.
One of the motivational speakers, an acid attack victim, Mr. Biodun Dada, told the students that they should not allow any challenge they are passing through to weigh them down and deter them from achieving their goals in life.
He told them of how his cousin poured him acid when he was 18 months but he did not allow the pains he has been going through since then to affect him become who he is presently.
The cobbler who displayed some of the shoes he made to the students told them that he would be graduating from the Word of Faith Bible Institute (WOFBI) next year after which he will become a preacher.
“Although I started my primary school at the age of 10 because of the acid attack but I did not allow this to weigh me down. I am married with a son, the situation ought to have forced me to become a beggar because people will be ready to assist me because of my appearance but I chose not to be a beggar but an entrepreneur, people may see disability in me but I see ability”, he said.
Another motivational speaker, a visually impaired Masters Degree holder from University of Lagos, Mass Communication Department, said he lost his sight in 1991 while planning to enroll as a student in Nigeria Defence Academy, Kaduna.
The journalist with Bond FM told the students that he taught of what he could bring out of his present situation, adding that disability is not a barrier but the society is the one that creates the barrier.
“As a child of destiny your desire should be to stay at the top, think positively, passionately, reasonably and progressively. See your challenge as a stepping stone to your greatness”, he said.
Esther Taiwo
